MINISTRY OF FRONTIERS AND TRIBAL AFFAIRS:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 005066

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM AF
SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF FRONTIERS AND TRIBAL AFFAIRS:
PROMOTING NATIONAL UNITY AMONG THE TRIBES


1. (SBU) Summary: Deputy Minister of Frontiers and Tribal
Affairs Alhaj Sayeed Ahmad Haqbeen described for Poloffs the
important work of his Ministry in supporting national unity
and understanding. The key competencies of the Ministry of
Frontier and Tribal Affairs (MFTA) are promoting the national
government and its policies among tribal groups, assuring
equal education and opportunity for all tribes, addressing
tribal needs at the national level and resolving tribal
disputes. He also mentioned the value of the tribal Arbakee
militias in border regions and hoped administration of the
Arbakee would return from the Ministry of Interior to the
MFTA. End Summary.


2. (U) Poloffs met December 11 with Deputy Minister of
Frontier and Tribal Affairs Alhaj Sayeed Ahmad Haqbeen and
Political Advisor Dr. Wassim to learn more about the role of
the MFTA. Haqbeen told Poloffs that the Ministry was
responsible for promoting government policies and the
importance of the national government through information
campaigns and through their offices in tribal regions. The
Ministry promotes equal education and opportunity for all
tribes through education programs designed specifically for
tribal groups. The MFTA also addresses tribal needs by
acting as a liaison between tribal groups and government
organs, and resolving tribal disputes.

Promoting Government Policy
--------------


3. (U) Deputy Minister Haqbeen and Political Advisor Wasim
argued that the MFTA played a very important role in
Afghanistan. The MFTA claims to be the main interlocutor
with tribal leaders through their offices in the provinces,
and works to educate the tribes on government policies and
the Afghan constitution. The Ministry is therefore important
in promoting national unity as it works to sell tribal groups
on the importance of Afghanistan's elected government.
Political Advisor Wasim noted the GOA counternarcotics
efforts as an example of a policy the MFTA is trying to
explain in tribal regions. Through their outreach programs,
they hope to limit through outreach programs the ability of
traffickers to use migrating tribes as vehicles for drug
smuggling.

Education and Equality
--------------


4. (U) The Ministry works to promote equal opportunity among
the tribes by improving access to education. The Ministry
built a high school in Khoshandan near the Pakistani border
to educate 1,600 children from Pashtun tribes that span the
border. Haqbeen said President Karzai issued a Presidential
decree ordering the building of schools for Kuchi's in all 34
provinces. The MFTA plans to begin work on these schools as
they gain funding. Haqbeen told Poloffs that financial
support is needed, but stopped short of asking for USG
embassy support. They hope to complete construction of 20-30
percent of the schools by the end of 2006.


5. (U) Promoting the needs of the Kuchi nomads or working to
integrate them into Afghan society is a major concern of the
Ministry. Haqbeen noted that the MFTA divides the Kuchis
into three categories: fully nomadic, semi-nomadic and
modernized. The Ministry works to negotiate Kuchi needs with
settled communities, such as securing grazing land for their
animals, running medical clinics and immunizing children.
The Political Advisor noted the importance the Kuchis once
held for Afghanistan's economy, supplying 36 percent of its
economic production. He noted the Ministry wants to help
restore the Kuchi economy while moving them towards
settlement and modernization.

Increasing Tribal Understanding
--------------


6. (U) The MFTA seeks to increase tribal understanding
through special programs and resolving disputes between
tribes when they erupt in the countryside, usually through
their provincial offices. The Ministry regularly conducts
workshops for tribal leaders in Kabul to get them used to
communicating with each other. Exchanges between tribal
leaders across Afghanistan is another means of increasing
inter-tribe cooperation.

Arbakee Militias in Border Regions
--------------


7. (SBU) Haqbeen told Poloffs about the Pashtun Arbakee
militias that were once funded by the MFTA. He argued that
the Arbakee militias are often more effective and cheaper
than ANA and ANP in the mountainous Greater Paktika region
bordering Pakistan's Nortwhest Frontier Province. He pointed
out that Arbakee forces are cheaper than ANA and ANP, and by
employing tribal militias as security forces, the GOA can
prevent them from being coopted by the Taliban or drug
traffickers. The MFTA plans to propose a force of 8,800
Arbakees to President Karzai. Haqbeen also indicated that
the Deputy Minister for Military Affairs managing the Arbakee
should be returned to the MFTA from the Ministry of Interior.
(Note: The embassy is still assessing the pros and cons of
the Arbakee forces as a local complement to the ANP. In any
case, they would not be a substitute for the ANA. End Note.)

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) The Deputy Minister of Frontiers and Tribal Affairs
and the Ministry's Political Advisor appeared to be trying
hard to convince Poloffs of the importance of the Ministry's
role. The Ministry's efforts to educate the tribal groups,
resolve tribal disputes and give all tribes equal
consideration are worthwhile goals. (Note: In November,
President Karzai's Advisor for Tribal issues met with Charge
and spoke only about the need to assist the Pashtuns. End
Note.) Overall the MFTA appears to be a Ministry of
increasing importance and one that can assist if not lead in
promoting stability in tribal regions.


9. (SBU) The Deputy Minister's desire to see Arbakee militia
responsibility returned to the MFTA is an interesting
bureaucratic power play. Poloff visited a meeting in the
early autumn with representatives of an NGO called the Tribal
Liaison office to discuss the Arbakee militias. The Arbakee
are one possible piece in the overall security puzzle, and
some experts believe they can be very effective in the border
regions. The MFTA probably wants to regain control of the
Arbakee to increase its profile among the ministries.
NEUMANN